A Neat Mess

43 Deeper into the Maze

Ben needed to see Pip as soon as possible. To his relief, she agreed to meet him the following Monday. Reclaiming his sense of self wasn't the only reason Ben was going there. His feelings about the divorce were intensifying, and he needed to show the world what kind of monster he had been dealing with.

The weight of everything pressed on Ben as he walked toward the clinic. This place, where everyone had turned against him, had kicked him out of his own house and taken him away from Jenna. The memory of that betrayal still stung. He had been treated like the villain, but he knew he had the truth on his side. Now, he had a choice: to mirror the hostility he had been shown or to rise above it. His heart wavered between anger and a need to prove himself right.

His true goal, though, remained Jenna. She was the key, and he needed these people's help to save her.

Pip greeted him as if nothing had happened between them. Her casual demeanor both comforted and unnerved him.

"Do you remember how you said I was confusing Sam's childhood with something I must have read in the news?" Ben began, sitting down. "Well, you were right. I googled it, and the details were... uncanny."

Pip nodded but remained skeptical. Ben took a deep breath, pulling out the crumpled letter he had brought. He handed it to her, pointing at a particular passage.

"Where did you get this?" Pip asked, her brow furrowing.

He explained the entire story—how he had stumbled upon the letter, how it linked back to Sam's past. Slowly, her skepticism softened.

"Could she be related to Dale?" Pip asked after a pause.

"I'm not sure," Ben admitted. "But Sam was in her early teens when all of this happened in the same town, and it was a small, uneventful place. That news would have been the talk of the town. Even if she wasn't directly involved, she would've known about it. But..." He hesitated, his voice dropping, "I wonder if Dale had a sister we never heard about. Maybe Sam's mother rescued her because she was the one abused, and she left Dale behind, thinking he was safer because he was a boy."

Pip seemed to chew on this for a moment before responding. "It's possible. If people knew she was related to a pedophile and serial killer, they'd hate her. Changing her name and leaving all of that behind makes sense. But," Pip added cautiously, "it feels far-fetched. You said she never talked about her mother because she was abusive, right? Blamed Sam for ruining her love life?"

Ben nodded. "Her mother chose her over her own happiness, and their life fell apart. But now, looking back, Sam's story sounds eerily similar to another case—Edmund Kemper, the Co-Ed Killer. The way she described her mother locking her in a metal cupboard... that's just like Kemper's childhood. I don't know if it's all real anymore or if she's borrowed parts of these stories."

Pip leaned back, her expression unreadable. "So, what are you saying, Ben? That Sam isn't who she says she is?"

"I don't know," Ben admitted. "I respected her privacy, and now I'm wondering if I should have asked more questions. Some of these memories might even be pseudo-memories—something planted or imagined based on what she read or heard from others."

Pip sighed. "We could be getting ahead of ourselves. Maybe she's just absorbing other people's stories to make sense of her own trauma. Maybe it's simpler than that."

Ben shook his head. "There's more. I accidentally found pills hidden in Sam's 'holy' corner. No markings. I had them tested—uppers, mixed with something else, possibly hormones. I don't know how long she's been taking them, but I think she's been getting them through the mail."

Pip's eyes widened. "And you didn't mention this earlier?"

"It wasn't exactly something I was proud of discovering," Ben said, shifting uncomfortably. "But I had to know."

Pip stood up, pacing the room as she processed everything. "So, she's been acting strange recently?"

"Yeah," Ben admitted. "She's been... overly nice. Not affectionate, just polite. It feels like guilt, or maybe she's seeing someone else."

Pip frowned. "Do you think it could be something illegal? These drugs might explain her recent behavior. I'll talk to Blake about it."

Ben looked down, conflicted. "I don't want to believe it, but... something's off. I found out too late."

Pip crossed her arms, deep in thought. "Can you get another pill for me? I want to run some more tests."

"Steal another one?" Ben raised an eyebrow, surprised at the request.

Pip gave him a determined look. "Yes. I think Jenna's issues might be tied to whatever Sam's been taking. It could be the clue we need."

Ben felt a strange sense of relief as they moved closer to a possible answer. For the first time in a long while, he felt like someone was on his side.

"I'll get it for you," Ben promised. "I'm worried about Jenna."

"And you should be," Pip replied. "But for now, Jenna's in a safe place. I'll call and make sure they're being extra cautious with her."

The following Friday, Ben returned with the pill. He had planned to use the opportunity to grab a coffee with Pip after work, but she had left early. Instead, Ben handed the pill to Blake, feeling like they were getting closer to the truth—though the questions swirling in his mind only seemed to grow.